Dan Nelson is a 58-year-old father and auto body shop owner. He and his wife, Betsy, are looking forward to meeting their first grandchild, who is due in three months. Dan’s mother died at the age of 65 from damage sustained to her heart — a heart attack — when Dan’s children were young, so she never got to know them. Dan really wants to stay healthy so that he can get to know his grandchildren and be around as they grow up.
Dan built his auto body shop from the ground up and has been a hard worker his entire life. He manages 18 employees at the shop, which is stressful, but he loves owning his own business. Aside from managing his team and running the shop, he enjoys getting his hands dirty restoring his 1967 Camaro, which has been his dream car since he was a teenager.
Growing up, Dan’s mother was an excellent cook and often made fried chicken, steak and meatloaf. He still enjoys a good home-cooked meal, the heartier the better, but he realizes he should probably lose a few pounds. Overall, he feels good about himself and has never had any severe health issues, although he hasn’t been to his primary care physician in more than five years. Recently he had his cholesterol checked at a health fair; his results indicated hypercholesterolemia. He decided to schedule an appointment with his physician for a physical exam and follow-up. He thinks he will be put on medication to lower his cholesterol.
Dan tries to eat a big breakfast every morning because he sometimes skips lunch when the shop is busy. See Dan’s food diary below.
